


Open Secrets

by thewayshedreamed



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas, MAAS Sarah J. - Works
Genre: F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Humor, Mild Sexual Content, NESSIAN AU, Prompt Fill, Reverse Fake Dating, Sexual Content, Sexual Humor, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:47:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27000700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thewayshedreamed/pseuds/thewayshedreamed
Summary: Prompt submission— Reverse fake dating au where everyone thinks you’re dating and you’re keeping it a secret, but you’re not.
Relationships: Nesta Archeron/Cassian
Comments: 2
Kudos: 52





	1. Part 1

Nesta pulled up to Rhysand and Feyre’s new home about 30 minutes after their house-warming party had begun. It was certainly a little out of character of her, being that she was someone who considered five minutes early as “on time”. It wasn’t really her fault. Elain had called her right before she pulled into their neighborhood to let her know they had drastically underestimated the amount of alcohol they would need for all the guests. Nesta had driven a little past the neighborhood to make the supplemental booze run, and she was about to walk into this party a hero.

She slipped into the party, aiming to keep a low profile. She absolutely hated arriving somewhere and being the sudden center of attention, so she was hoping to avoid that. The party was split; half indoors and half outdoors, making it all the easier for her.

She took inventory of her surroundings as she made her way toward the kitchen. There were several small groups sprinkled around in conversation, and some were outside playing yard games or drinking games. She already felt hungover just watching them.

Her eyes landed on Rhys, Azriel, and Cassian. They were off to the side, all sipping on drinks, and talking enthusiastically with each other. She noticed Cassian seemed to be on the receiving end of whatever hell they were giving, if his rigid posture and frequent eye rolling was any indication. She chuckled a little at that; he probably had that coming.

He excused himself abruptly from the conversation, tossing his beer bottle into a trash can a few feet away. He walked toward the house, and Nesta quickly directed her attention back to unloading the beer and liquor to wherever it needed to be stored in the kitchen. She heard the sliding glass door open, then close, followed by heavy footsteps walking through the kitchen.

“Hey, Nes! When did you get here?” He threw an arm around her shoulders, giving her a side-hug while she worked.

It seemed like such a small thing to most, but the fact that she and Cassian had made it to this point impressed her. With the way things had started when they’d originally met, things looked bleak for them on the friendship front. She wasn’t sure when his snark and cocky demeanor shifted from infuriating to endearing, but she had come to learn that those traits were such a tiny part of who he was. All of that considered, she leaned in to the casual side-hug, not wanting to take their progress for granted.

“Just now, actually. I haven’t even finished unloading the car.”

”Damn, sweetheart. How much booze did you bring?!” He grabbed a beer from the fridge and opened it as he leaned back on the counter.

”Probably not enough if we’re sharing with the likes of you,” she teased. She felt a small tap between her shoulder blades, followed by a ping sound. She turned around to see Cassian’s beer cap sliding across the floor. That little shit actually threw his beer cap at her.

She glared at him and was met with a sideways smirk on his face. He broke into a laugh when she didn’t back down and rocked forward to push himself off the counter.

“Sorry, sweetheart. I’ll make it up to you by helping you unload the car. Keep me company?” he requested.

”Fine. On the way you can tell me what your friends were giving you shit about outside. I’m starting to think maybe you earned it,” she taunted.

The cadence of his steps was interrupted just a fraction by her question, but he recovered quickly enough.

”Actually, I don’t know that I did this time.”

”Well now I’m definitely intrigued.”

He hesitated for several seconds, his jaw working as he thought through what to say next.

“I’m not sure I should tell you,” he stated, as he opened the backseat of her car. He grabbed the rest of the drinks before shutting her car door firmly.

“That makes me want to know even more, Cassian.”

”Okay, fine. But just remember that you wanted this. And you can’t be mad or get weird about it.”

His disclaimer gave her pause, but she nodded her head anyway. Curiosity won this round.

“For whatever reason, they have their minds made up that you and I are seeing each other and are trying to keep it on the down low. I’m still not entirely sure why they think we would keep it under wraps if we were involved, but that’s their theory right now.” His words came out in a rush as if he was trying to get it over with and pretend they never had the conversation.

Nesta merely blinked several times before replying, “Hm. Okay. So I get that they didn’t tell you why they think we’d hide it, but did they at least say why they think we’re a thing in the first place?”

Cassian rolled his eyes as he unloaded the remaining drinks into the refrigerator.

“Who the fuck knows with those two? All I remember them saying was something about how we have way too much tension between us and how we went from hating each other to being friendly overnight.” He took a swig of his beer.

”So, since we’re nice to each other now, we’re fucking?” There was no frustration in her tone. She was actually a little amused at how faulty the logic was.

Cassian choked on his beer; the result of not being prepared for that question coming from Nesta, of all people. He coughed into his elbow several times before he recovered.

“Caught me off guard, sorry. Yes, apparently, but I told them to knock it off.”

She was lost in thought for several seconds. “This could be fun,” she mused.

”What could be fun?” His confusion was obvious all over his face.

“The more we try to prove them wrong, the more they’re going to think they’re right. So why not just lean into it and have a little fun messing with them.”

”Oo. I like this. Get them all riled up about it and let them down later. I can’t say I’d hate to watch them squirm a little,” he replied.

”Exactly. But if we do this, we have to commit. We can’t question each other in front of anyone else, or the whole thing is shot,” she warned. “If we feel like we’re not on the same page, we reconvene here and make our way back out there once we figure it out.”

He smiled at her, a true broad smile, with the gleam of mischief in his hazel eyes. “You’re a wicked little woman, Archeron. I love it.”

——

They walked from the kitchen together, breaking apart once Nesta started making her rounds to greet everyone. Cassian walked back over to his friends, who were both clearly amused with themselves even still. He wanted to throttle both of them.

“What took you so long, Cass?” Rhys asked, a cocky little half smile on his face.

”Helped Nesta unload all the booze out of her car.” He took a long swig of his beer. “Don’t you say a fucking word, you prick.”

”Wouldn’t dream of it,” Rhys replied, earning a laugh from Azriel.

Both of them looked over his shoulder just as he felt someone approach him from behind. He felt a small hand rest on his bicep, turning him slightly toward them.

“Hey, Cass,” Nesta beamed up at him, and he swore his heart stopped. “I never said thank you for helping me.” She glanced down at her hand, and quickly drew it away to put it in her back pocket. She looked down at the ground and cleared her throat before looking at him again. “So, thank you. I owe you one.”

Wow, she was good. She looked every bit the part of someone who lost her bearings and was caught being affectionate. His returning smile was genuine.

“Of course. Happy to do it,” he replied, as she turned her attention to greet Rhysand and Azriel.

She walked away to make her next stop in greetings, and he made sure to watch her go for just a second longer than necessary. When he turned his attention back to the guys, they were smirking at each other like the smug bastards they were. This was going to be too easy.

——

The next couple of hours progressed in a similar fashion. Surprisingly, they stayed on the same page without much effort, playing off of each other from one scenario to the next. They gravitated to each other when their paths happened to cross, but they kept their interactions short. If someone walked up on them, they slipped away somewhat awkwardly as if they were guilty of something they shouldn’t be doing. They easily slipped small, seemingly intimate actions into each interaction whenever they knew Rhys or Azriel was nearby. Nesta would rest her hand on Cassian’s forearm briefly as they laughed. Cassian would shove her with his shoulder in passing, earning a playful scolding from Nesta. A couple of times when they were standing in a small group, Nesta would subtly grab Cassian’s drink to take a sip and hand it back as if it were second nature. In response, Cassian would rub his thumb absent-mindedly over where her lips had touched the rim. By this point, Rhys and Azriel were nearly bursting with their desire to call them out on their behavior.

They partnered up for a couple of games, making it a point to stand an arm’s length apart. However, occasionally when things would go their way, they would engage in a celebratory hug and simultaneously spring apart to their original places like they forgot themselves. Nesta decided they worked incredibly well together despite being such an unlikely alliance. They won the second game and celebrated with loud cheers and a high five. Nesta caught Cassian’s eye briefly, muttering “Kitchen, in 5” through her smile.

She made her way there and busied herself with refilling her drink. Right on time, she heard Cassian’s heavy footfall entering the kitchen. She turned around, meeting his amused expression with one of her own.

”Hey! Everything okay? Am I not reading this right?” he asked.

“No, no, no. You’re great. I just wanted to talk without eyes on us for a second to see how you think things are going. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve caught Rhys and Azriel glancing over at us,” she said through a chuckle. His shoulders seemed to relax at her reassurance.

He responded with a laugh of his own. “Oh, they’re crawling out of their skin. Especially Rhys. It kills him when he thinks he’s right but can’t say anything.”

”That’s definitely like him,” Nesta joked.

Around Cassian’s shoulder, she saw Azriel through the glass door approaching the house. She glanced up at her partner-in-crime with a conspiratorial grin across her face.

“Hug me. Hurry— make it good.” He did as he was told, looping an arm around her waist and cradling her head to his chest. “When you hear the door open, back up.”

A few more seconds passed before they heard the long slide of the glass door as Azriel pulled it open. Cassian made a show of tensing and pulling away quickly, clearing his throat. Nesta shoved her hands into her back pockets as she had done several times over the course of the day when she was “caught” touching her rumored lover.

“Well, hey guys. How’s it going?” Azriel asked with a cocky, sideways smile.

Cassian mumbled something about needing the restroom and quickly fled the premises, leaving Nesta to brave Azriel alone. He’d definitely be paying for that one.

“Good. I needed a little break from outside. Got a little overwhelmed with all the hustle and bustle.”

”Mm. Understandable,” he replied, grabbing another beer from the fridge and turning toward her. “What was all that about? With Cass?”

”What was what?”

“Nesta. All the hugging I had the misfortune of walking in on. What’s going on with you two?” He leaned back onto the counter, crossing one ankle over the other and putting his free hand in his front pocket.

It took her a second to gather her thoughts before she decided she didn’t particularly care for being the only flustered one around here. Additionally, she was annoyed that Azriel seemed so cocksure about his position, as if Nesta were totally oblivious to all the questioning he and Rhys had done earlier. Granted, as far as they knew, she was, but that was neither here nor there.

It was time for the tables to start turning, even if she hadn’t had the chance to discuss it with Cassian yet. However, if he were that concerned about it, he wouldn’t have completely abandoned her to deal with Azriel. He was along for the ride now and would have to go with the flow.

Azriel wasn’t one to be easily flustered, that much Nesta knew. She knew she wouldn’t be able to be incredibly subtle because he would see right through it. She also knew he wasn’t above continuing to point on the flaws in her logic if she were to get caught in that web. She had to be decisive, creative, and she had to commit.

She walked over a little closer to him, facing him and propping her hip on the counter next to where he was leaning. She looked up into his face, and he eyed her suspiciously, an apprehensive look dawning over his features. Perfect.

“So, that’s in then. You’ve cracked our code?” she asked quietly.

”I wouldn’t call what you two have a ‘code’, Nes.” Arrogant bastard. Any doubt or guilt she’d felt for deceiving her friends had officially dwindled to zero. Azriel’s response had served her in that way, at least. She inched slightly closer to him, running her fingertips from his forearm down to his wrist, where his hand met his pocket.

“Then you knew we were going to talk to you? What gave it away?” she whispered, looping her fingers around the sensitive underside of his wrist.

Azriel’s eyes widened, glancing to her hand and back up to her face quickly. She watched his throat bob as he swallowed.

”You hardly need my permission, Nesta,” he responded.

She brought her other hand to cup his shoulder, leaning into him a little more. She could feel his entire body tense as if moving too quickly would provoke her to attack. He took an extra long pull from his beer.

“I disagree. Cassian and I both insisted that we talk to you together.”

It was at that moment that her co-conspirator returned from his bathroom trip. She watched as he scanned the situation, noting her hands on Azriel’s arm and shoulder. He pulled his lips into a curious smile.

“The two of you look cozy. I thought we were talking to him together, sweetheart,” he said, playing off of the comment he’d overheard.

He moved to the spot on the other side of Azriel, shooting her a questioning look when Azriel’s attention was turned away from him. Nesta’s face gave nothing away as she let out a soft laugh, shaking her head at Cassian with affectionate exasperation.

“You took a little while, and I wasn’t sure when we would be able to get him alone again. I hadn’t said anything to him yet. Not without you.”

”Well, don’t let me stop you. By all means, love, carry on,” he said, using a flat palm gesture forward. He gave her a full smile in return, and she noted how much it softened his features. He truly was quite beautiful, in a rough, raw sort of way.

She peered up at Azriel, waiting until he looked down at her.

“You mentioned me and Cassian, but it’s not what you think. At least, not exactly.” He gave her a confused look. She decided to continue before she lost her nerve with this last-minute plan. She turned her gaze to Cassian for the briefest of seconds before looking back at Azriel.

“I don’t really know how to ask this properly, so I’m just going to go for it, I guess. I know you think we’re sleeping together and it’s some kind of secret. But honestly, we wouldn’t care to be secretive about just us. We’re adults. But, we wanted to be respectful of you in the event you were okay with this.”

She could see Cassian hanging on her every word beside Azriel, just as naive to what she was going to suggest. She took a breath before finishing in a low rasp, sounding way more confident than she felt. It was all for the mission, she told herself.

“We wanted to know if you’d join us, Az.” She watched as his eyes nearly popped out of his head, hurrying to finish. “I know, I know. Probably out of nowhere, but we agreed we would give you some time to think. And it doesn’t have to be an ongoing thing if you want to try and see how it goes. No hard feelings either way, seriously.”

She moved her gaze to meet Cassian’s, whose hazel eyes were also threatening to launch from their sockets. He mastered himself quickly, his timing perfect, since Azriel was snapping his head toward him.

”What the fuck is happening? What the fuck is this?” He was looking back and forth between them, begging for an explanation or an escape route.

Nesta feared that maybe she had made an executive call that Cassian wasn’t good with carrying through. To her surprise, he lifted one of his large hands to cup Azriel’s cheek, keeping his face turned toward him.

”Az, it’s okay.” He subtly rubbed his thumb over Azriel’s cheek, and Nesta had to bite her cheek to keep from giggling. “You don’t have to say anything now. It’s just… I trust you. And if I’m going to do this, it makes the most sense for it to be with someone who knows me like you do. Plus, you were first on Nesta’s list.”

She shot him a heated glare, knowing he was throwing her under the bus as revenge for keeping him out of the loop. She supposed she had earned that.

Azriel shot from his position, walking to the other side of the kitchen. He set his beer down and braced both of his large hands on the countertop. His head was hanging forward as he took deep breaths, and they heard him mutter a low, “What the fuck?”

Nesta and Cassian had both oriented toward him, their backs now toward the counter. They were standing shoulder to shoulder, Cassian with his hands in his pockets and Nesta with her arms crossed. She grabbed her drink she’d refilled earlier to take a sip before offering some to Cassian.

Ariel’s head lifted slightly as he fixed his gaze on the wall in front of him.

“Why do people always ask me to be part of their threesomes?” he whispered to no one in particular. Nesta and Cassian turned their heads toward each other, both of their brows raised in question. How often was this happening to Azriel?

He turned around to face them again, his brown furrowed in concentration.

“Az, don’t overextend yourself for our benefit,” Cassian joked. “I didn’t realize we were two of many.”

”Fuck off, Cass.” He rubbed his temples in impatience. “Can I ask, why me?”

Nesta didn’t miss a beat. They’d tortured him enough, and she was ready to reveal the truth.

“Well, seeing as you and Rhysand feel so comfortable as to insert yourselves into other’s affairs, we figured you may appreciate a front-row seat,” she replied dryly.

Cassian snorted a laugh and looked down at her with something like admiration. He bumped her shoulder with his for good measure.

“You’re messing with me?” Azriel demanded incredulously. Cassian broke out into a full laugh at that.

“Indeed. Nothing gets by you, Az,” he responded.

”We have been all day,” Nesta interjected. “You two were quick to lean in to your theory.” She couldn’t hide her laugh this time.

Azriel stood there, dumbfounded and speechless. His eyes scanned both of their faces and darkened as he noted their amusement.

“What the hell is wrong with you? You can’t just go around asking people to join you in threesomes!”

”Don’t be upset, man. You’ll always be my first choice,” Cassian teased.

Azriel’s eyes locked onto his, showing a strong promise of violence if this conversation didn’t change direction.

“Oh, stop it. Both of you. Cassian, stop antagonizing Azriel. And you.” She pointed her finger to where Azriel stood. “You think I didn’t know about you and Rhysand’s little theories about me and Cassian? All because we dared be nice to each other?”

She gave him a chance to respond. He didn’t.

“I’ve seen every single smirk you two have exchanged anytime we were within 10 feet of each other, so sure that you were right about us. We fed every bit of it to you on a platter, and you were too quick to believe what you wanted. Well, let this,” she gestured with her finger in a circle, “be a reminder that things aren’t always as they seem. And stop theorizing on your friend’s sex life. You know better than anyone that his arrogance would have him giving you the details for less than this.”

“Hey!” Cassian complained. “I’m on your side.”

Azriel lifted both of his hands in surrender, breathing a low chuckle before he spoke.

“I don’t know whether I’m more relieved by the truth or pissed off that you two did this to us all damn day. But either way, you’re right, Nesta. It’s really not our business, and we’ve been know-it-all little pricks all day long. I’m sorry. Truly.” He moved forward, holding out his arms in offer of a group hug. They accepted, Nesta gripping each of them around the waist and Cassian wrapping around both of their shoulders.

Just before they let go, Cassian nuzzled his face into Azriel’s neck, earning a curse from Azriel as he playfully pushed him away. Nesta threw her head back in a laugh, relieved, yet disappointed, that their game had come to an end.

——

Later that evening, what remained of their little gathering had moved inside to continue the festivities. Someone had suggested Twister, and Cassian had offered to referee and work the spinner. He was way too fucking big for this game.

“Right hand, blue!” he called.

He watched as his friends scrambled to find the closest blue space, bickering as if it were life or death. He laughed as he watched Rhysand and Nesta battle over the same blue space. The latter ended up sprawled on her ass by the time the turn was over. She huffed her frustration and landed a firm poke to Rhysand’s ribs before stalking over to the couch by Cassian.

“Cheap shot, demon witch,” Rhysand called after her. The masked affection in his tone was obvious, but she shot him a vulgar gesture all the same.

“Don’t be a sore loser, sweetheart,” he teased, as she plopped down on the couch next to him. “You got yours earlier tonight when Azriel filled him in on our ruse.”

“That’s totally different,” she insisted.

He called out the next position, watching intently for any foul play. He heard her quiet voice from next to him and had to fight the urge to turn to her.

“You know, I had a lot of fun with you today,” she said.

“I did, too. We made a good team,” he replied.

He rested a hand above her knee absent-mindedly, pulling it away just as quickly to flick the spinner for the next turn. Apparently, their day of shenanigans had lowered any reservations he had about making physical contact with her. His palm seemed to burn slightly where he’d touched her.

“Right foot, green!” he called.

She dropped her voice just a bit lower so that only he could hear over the mixed sounds in the room.

“Did it make you even a little curious? I guess all that pretending had me thinking of what it would be like if we…” she trailed off.

He couldn’t fight his glance at her this time. He took note of her bottom lip between her teeth and the slight blush across her cheeks. That was the second time tonight that he had been struck dumb by how beautiful she was.

He fought to turn his face away from hers to initiate the next turn. He called out the next position before answering her as nonchalantly as possible.

“Curiosity hit me well before tonight, sweetheart.” His heart thundered slightly at the admission.

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as she reached for his phone on the cushion between them. She handed it to him when she was prompted with the lock screen, and he mindlessly typed in his code. She worked for a second, locked his phone, and placed it back into its original position before reaching for her own.

He had to settle a disagreement between Mor and Feyre about hand placement before he was able to turn his attention back to Nesta. Why the fuck had he ever volunteered for this?

He unlocked his phone to see that his messaging app was open. There was an outgoing message to a number he didn’t recognize. Upon opening it, all the message said was, “Cassian.”

He glanced over at Nesta, watching as she stopped typing and locked her own phone. Within seconds, his phone vibrated with an incoming message from that unknown number. Nesta’s number.

He scanned the message, realization dawning on him within seconds. She’d sent him her home address followed by four simple words. “No pressure. No expectations.”

Before he could say anything at all, Nesta stood from the couch, reaching her arms over her head in a long stretch. His mouth went dry looking at the lines her body made as she did so.

“Alright, guys. It’s past my bedtime. I’m out,” she called as she blew kisses to her sisters.

She grabbed her things, slid her feet into her shoes, and made her way toward the door. She lingered for half a second to give Cassian a small smile. Just like that, she was gone, leaving Cassian to finish what seemed like it could be the longest Twister game in all of eternity.


	2. Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smutty continuation of Open Secrets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings— Definitely NSFW, smut, mature language

Cassian forced himself to finish the current round of Twister before he started to say his goodbyes. He loved his friends dearly, but his phone containing that short address was burning a hole through his jean pocket right now. It probably served him that the game continued at least a little; that way he didn’t find himself eagerly stumbling behind Nesta before she got a chance to close the door.

The Mother had mercy on him that night. Each of his friends was so exhausted that they kept their parting words as brief as possible. Grateful that he had stopped drinking hours ago, he was finally climbing into the driver’s seat of his truck and plugging Nesta’s address into his navigation app. He started his drive, reflecting on the uncharacteristic nerves he was experiencing at the moment.

Cassian was no stranger to casual sex, but the idea of his partner being Nesta Archeron seemed insane. He steered with one hand; the fingers on his other hand drumming against his thigh as he drove in an attempt to abate his anxiousness. Before he knew it, he found himself parking in front of her apartment building, locking his truck, and climbing the stairs.

It felt like an eternity before she came to the door. She opened it slightly, peering around the door to make sure she knew the person on the other side. She smiled up at him when the realization hit her, and he felt it like a kick to the chest.

“Hi,” she breathed. Her hair was loose and hanging over one shoulder. She had let it out of the casual updo she’d worn at the party, and it fell in natural waves down the line of her neck, her shoulder, and her waist. She was stunning.

“Hey,” he answered. “Still feeling like company?”

She stepped backward to open the door for him, straightening her oversized sweater as she did so. Even with its too-long sleeves and the fact that it absolutely swallowed her, he thought she was the sexiest thing he had ever seen. He fought to keep his hands in his pockets, not wanting to be over-zealous and seem like a creep.

He walked inside, pausing in her entryway. He rolled back onto his heels and back to the balls of his feet as he waited for her next move.

“Why are you being weird? It’s like you’re shy all of a sudden,” she laughed.

“I’m not being weird. So, where do you want me?” He cursed himself internally at his lack of chill. “Not like that. I just didn’t know where I should sit. I’ve never been here before.”

She did nothing to hid her amused expression, but he decided it could have been worse. “If you walk straight, you’re going to run into my living room. Have a seat on the couch, and I’ll get us something to drink, okay?” She started to walk to the left, toward the kitchen he assumed, and he made his way to the couch.

He sat down and took in the room around him. Her style was clean and minimalistic, leaning modern. He decided he quite liked her taste, and that it suited her, before he heard her footsteps coming from the direction of the kitchen.

“I hope you like red wine. All I have is a Cab, but it’s one of my favorites.”

“Sure. I’d love some.” She poured it for both of them, handed a glass to him, and sat on the couch. She turned toward him, sitting with her legs crossed, and held her glass with both hands.

“So,” she began, “how does this usually go? I’m assuming you’ve done this before.”

He moved the arm closest to her to rest it on the back of the couch, suppressing his grin as he spoke.

“I have. Are you asking me if I have a routine or something?” The chuckle escaped him despite his best efforts.

“Don’t laugh at me, you brute. I’m serious. Or are you going to give me some bullshit about how everyone is usually begging by now?” she teased.

He’d been right in his assumption that Nesta would be the one to throw him for a loop. He barked a laugh at her teasing and moved his hand to gently run his fingers through the strands he’d been resisting since he showed up.

“I assure you that’s not the case,” he started. Just as the self-satisfied smirk started to emerge on her perfect lips around the rim of her wine glass, he finished. “It usually takes them a little while before the begging starts.”

She clamped a hand over her mouth to avoid spluttering her red wine all over him and her couch. He threw his head back as he laughed, fully satisfied with her reaction. They really did have fun together, he thought, as he leaned forward to place his own glass on her coffee table.

When he looked to her again, she was wiping her face with the back of her hand, being careful not to wipe the wine all over her sweater. Without thinking, he placed his fingers under her chin and wiped the drops of wine from her lower lip with his thumb.

“Here, let me,” he murmured, his brows furrowed in concentration. He flicked his eyes up to hers and found her pupils dilated, likely mirroring his own. Usually, everything about Nesta was controlled, calculated. He couldn’t help but feel pleased to see her this way.

She froze, studying his face with max concentration. When he pulled his thumb away and licked the wine from it, something seemed to snap within her. She thrust her glass onto the table, almost sending its contents sloshing over the side. She gripped his shirt, pulling herself toward him, and crashed her mouth to his.

His arm left the couch to circle her waist, his other hand gripping her cheek to pull her lips even closer. Without breaking contact, she rose up on her knees and threw one of them over his lap to straddle him properly. He tightened his grip on her, trying to gain any friction possible between their hips.

She opened up for him, and he explored her mouth with his tongue, gliding it along hers. She tasted of red wine and something sweet, like honey, and he cursed himself for his earlier joke. It was possible that he would be the one begging, for anything she was willing to give him.

She moved her hands to his hair, tugging on it right near his scalp, and he heard his responding growl before he was aware he was emitting it. She slanted her mouth over his, their kiss turning into something intense and damn near primal. She moaned into his mouth and his hands shot to the hem of her sweater, pushing it up until his large hands were on her skin. He gripped her firmly on the waist, pulling her body to him as she arched sharply toward him.

They both gasped into each other’s mouths, acknowledging the jolt the contact sent through them. Her hips started to rock into his of their own accord, and her whimpers threatened to fracture every sliver of his self-control. He lifted her sweater over her head, barely willing to lose contact with her mouth in order to get it off. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him in close again, and he rested his forehead on hers to run his eyes over her body.

She was left in a lace bralette and black biker shorts, barely long enough to be considered as such. She increased her pace as she rolled her hips into his, and he watched as her lips parted in pleasure. Her grip on him tightened, and he shifted his hips to align himself with her, giving her the pressure she so desperately wanted. She moaned obscenely as she moved, murmuring her praises to him as she worked.

He pulled her bralette over her head roughly, disposing of on the couch. He dropped his face to her breasts, taking a rosy, peaked nipple into his mouth. She cried out as he worked her, and he moved one of his hands to cup her ass and help her maintain her rhythm. She was dissolving for him now, hips bucking and her breath leaving her in huffs as she rocked into him. He flexed his hips into hers to give her a little added pressure, and her release barreled through her. She threw her head back as she called out his name, her hips stuttering as she lost her rhythm.

She tucked her face into his neck, and he thought for a moment that she was collapsing into him, sated and happy. That was until he felt her hot mouth on the side of his neck, and he hissed at the contact. His hips drove into hers without his consent, his cock twitching at feeling those full lips on his sensitive neck.

She nipped at him, leaving love bites on her way down. She gripped his shirt roughly at the hem, giving him little time to lift his arms before she was ripping it off of him and throwing it to the side. She moaned when her chest met the warmth of his own, and before he realized what she was doing, she was scooting herself to down his body and onto the floor. She continued her assault, leaving hot kisses and love bites all down his chest and abdomen. By the time her mouth reached the sensitive skin just about the button of his jeans, he was white-knuckled on the couch cushion and the arm of the couch.

She unbuttoned his jeans, unzipped them, and palmed him through his boxer-briefs. He hissed at the contact, his cock twitching in her hand. She bit her bottom lip and looked up at him through her dark lashes.

“Can I?” she asked, her voice low and raspier than usual.

His eyes snapped to hers. Although he appreciated her consideration, he couldn’t help thinking that he was that many more seconds from her mouth on him by having this conversation. He lifted his hips, helping her remove his jeans and underwear together.

“Mother’s tits, Nes. Yes. Please.” He knew it would be him to beg.

She took him in her hand again, gliding her hand back and forth before she lowered her mouth to him. His eyes fluttered shut as his head dropped to the couch cushions. She bobbed her head, taking more of him each time she lowered her mouth over him and using her hand for what she couldn’t accommodate. He moaned loudly, unbelieving of his good fortune to be sitting in Nesta’s apartment, her mouth working him in ways no one ever had. With her free hand, she grabbed his own, bringing it to the back of her head. He looked down at her then, making sure he understood before he moved. She nodded her head subtly, never losing her focus on her rhythm as she hollowed out her cheeks.

His hands went to her hair, keeping it from her face and helping her maintain her pace as she moved. It took everything in him not to thrust into her mouth, especially with the heavenly sounds coming from her. Lasting long was not in the cards for him if she continued on like this, indicated by the increased volume of his own moans.

“Nes,” he breathed, “I’m close.”

She didn’t pull away; instead, she moved faster, twisting her hand as she moved it in time with her mouth. He felt his cock grow impossibly harder, and she whimpered when she felt him.

“Nesta. I’m serious. I’m gonna c—“ he insisted. He had to pause to catch his breath, to keep from doing exactly the thing he was warning her about. “ _Fuck_. I’m about to come.” He couldn’t fight the slight rocking of his hips anymore or the tension throughout his entire body.

She looked up at him through heavy lids and nodded her head once again, letting him know her intentions. A loud groan left him as his head fell back into the cushions. There was nothing in the world except Nesta’s mouth around him and that sharp tightening in his lower abdomen.

His eyes were shut tightly, his brow furrowed as she worked him to his impending release. He sang her praises, telling her that he didn’t deserve her. That he had no idea what he did that allowed him this kind of luck. Suddenly, his breath hitched and his back arched, his orgasm crashing over him with a brutal intensity. She worked him through it, swallowing until he was completely spent.

All of the tension left his body as she released him, climbing up his body to settle over him again. Her mouth was on his chest, his neck, his cheeks, but the urgency from before was gone. She was soothing him now, bringing him back to the present with her. His eyes slid open to look at her, and she leaned back to allow him to lift his head.

“You are fucking incredible,” he announced. He was rewarded with her delicate laugh, interrupted by his mouth slanting over hers.

He gripped her waist, pushing her over to the vacant part of the couch as he laid her back. He shifted between her legs as he pressed open-mouthed kisses to her neck, chest, and stomach. She gripped his shoulders as he continued to travel down, stripping her of her shorts and ending right where she wanted him.

He flattened his tongue against her, pulling his name from her beautiful mouth. She reached down to hold his long hair back, and he was oddly touched by the gesture. No one had ever thought to do that before.

“ _Shit_ , Cassian. Please don’t stop,” she demanded. Her hips were rocking against his face as he worshipped her. He alternated between long strokes of his tongue through her folds and focused attention to her clit. She was coming undone for him, obscene moans leaving her and his name rolling off her lips over and over again. When he pulled her sensitive nub into his mouth and nipped at it gently, her grip in his hair tightened as she came for him. She cried out, making no attempt to muffle his name or the many curses that left her.

He slid back up her body, mouth crashing into hers as he rested his weight on his elbows. She returned the kiss in kind, moving her hands to grip his shoulder blades and groaning at the feel of his hardened length pressed against her. She pushed her tongue into his mouth, angling her hips in an attempt to feel him nudging at her entrance.

He almost combusted when she whispered into his mouth, “Fuck me.”

Leaning his weight over to one elbow, he used his free arm to grip her waist and encouraged her to roll over. She was happy to oblige, her hips angling toward him automatically. He lifted her hips just slightly, creating an almost sinful arch to her back as she reached her hands forward to grip the seam between the couch arm and cushion. He leaned back onto his knees so that he could properly enter her, gripping her hips with one hand and using the other to support his weight over her.

He entered her in one long stroke, their groans leaving them in unison. He pulled back and thrust with more force, earning a delicious moan from deep within her. He set a brisk pace, his hips snapping into hers and his cock rocking against that blissful spot within her.

He dipped his head to kiss her shoulders, the back of her neck, and along her spine between her shoulder blades. Nesta placed a flattened palm against the couch arm, further arched her back, and used her hand to rock back into him with each stroke. He moved his hand from her hip and snaked it between her body and the couch to take her breast into his hand. He massaged it roughly, never breaking his pace.

“Ohh, gods,” she moaned, dragging out each word a second or two longer than necessary. “Harder, baby.”

Cassian wasn’t sure if it was the pet name or the command, but one of them had him approaching release yet again. He lowered himself on both elbows, keeping one hand on her breast and snaking the other under her arm to cup the top of her shoulder for leverage. Per her request, he snapped his hips into hers at a brutal pace.

“Yes, Cass. _Yes_. Don’t you dare stop,” she growled.

He maintained his pace, tightening his grip on her as she neared her release. He could feel her clenching around him as he nipped the sensitive skin connecting her neck and shoulder. He growled at how she tightened around him, resting his forehead between her shoulders. Within seconds, he felt her walls spasm around him, coaxing his own release. She cried out as she rode out her high, Cassian’s orgasm following almost immediately after.

They stayed like that for a while, the only sound in the apartment being their ragged breaths. He finally withdrew from her, immediately hating being separated from her, and moved away to sit back. Sleeping with Nesta had effectively ruined him.

She rolled onto her back, peering up at him.

“We are way too good at that,” she mused.

He huffed a laugh from where his head was resting on the couch cushion. He reached for her, his large hand finding her small one somewhere on the cushion.

“Mm. We are,” he agreed. ”So what do we do now?”

Her eyes popped open, her head cocking to the side in confusion. He rolled his head toward her, a mirthful expression all over his face.

“What do you mean, ‘what do we do now?’”

“Nesta, we spent the entire day engaged in this elaborate plan to prove we weren’t fucking,” he broke off in a laugh. “You have to see the irony.”

A laugh bubbled out of her, her free hand palming her forehead with a quiet _smack_. “Oh, gods. You’re right.”

He nodded in agreement as he smiled at her, his thumb rubbing the back of her palm. “How are we going to navigate this one, sweetheart?”

Nesta groaned and ran her hand down her face. “I can’t even pretend to know, to be honest.” Her eyes found his yet again, a conspiratorial glint gracing them as they had earlier. “Why don’t you join me in the shower and we see if we stumble on some inspiration?” She stood, keeping her hand in his to encourage him to follow.

“You’re full of good ideas today,” he marveled.

He stood to join her, stopping abruptly to lift her over his shoulder. She squealed, gripping for anything to make sure she stayed securely on that shoulder rather than rolling off onto the carpet. She slapped him playfully on the ass, and he tapped hers in return, their laughter filling her apartment as he carried her.


End file.
